On an otherwise miserable night in the primetime spotlight, Atlanta Falcons fans were given the chance to celebrate, arguably, the best wide receiver in football.
The future first-ballot Hall of Famer, Julio Jones, officially passed Roddy White Monday night in career receptions in a Falcons uniform. Jones came into tonight’s Monday Night Football showdown only one reception shy of passing his old mentor. He passed that mark on the third drive of the game in typical Julio fashion, finding a way to embarrass a few helpless defensive backs in the process. What makes it that much more impressive is that he set the mark in a shocking 42 fewer games.
The franchise record is only the most recent franchise record to be set by Julio Jones. He is only a year removed from surpassing Roddy White’s receiving yards record in a similar fashion, doing so in 58 fewer games. He has also managed to reset the NFL’s record books in receiving as he torched Jerry Rice in 17 fewer games en route to being the fastest to 12,000 career-receiving yards.
There’s no questioning the greatness of Julio Jones.
After trading five draft selections between the 2011 and 2012 draft (including two first-round picks), Julio Jones has paid the Falcons back tenfold. He has been the model superstar in the NFL that, even ten years later, remains the envy of the league.
This is only the most recent in a litany of records Julio Jones is sure to shatter. The next mark for him to reach is one also held by Roddy White, the career mark in touchdowns at 63. Julio is currently tied with Falcons legend, Terance Mathis, at 57 career receiving touchdowns.
If there is a single thing that Falcons fans can be grateful for after a miserable showing tonight, it has to be Julio Jones. What came as an expected surge after the shocking draft-day move has manifested into the league standard of what a dominant NFL receiver should strive to be. That is the story of Julio Jones.